Misano hosted its first Grand Prix event in 1980 and staged the Italian world round (then called the Grand Prix of Nations) on and off throughout the decade. Last year the circuit returned to the World Championship calendar after an absence of 14 years, having undergone major changes, most importantly a change of direction that transformed the circuit from anti-clockwise to clockwise. Misano, situated just inland from Italy's Adriatic holiday coast, is mostly dominated by tight, slow-speed turns that give MotoGP riders a tough time on their 220 horsepower machines.

Last year the Repsol Honda team had an unlucky race at the venue. Pedrosa and Hayden were the innocent victims of a turn-one melee which took out Pedrosa and left Hayden to battle back from last position.

The team will stay on to test at Misano, when it's likely that Pedrosa will try the pneumatic-valve engine.

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